INTRODUCTION

The internet has the potential to deliver enormous quantities of data, or finely selected portions of data, to anyone with 'net access. Until very recently, those engaged in research relating to Ireland have been limited by the range of materials available online in many subject areas. The reasons for this vary, but the effect is the same: many people find it necessary to resort still to hard copy documents or to personal contacts 'in the know' to access required data. As the CELT online texts project based at UCC has proven, with the right leadership and a suitable goal the presentation of materials online for free public access can transform how researchers approach their subject.

There is no question of the IRQUAS database projects emulating the value of the CELT project, but the principles are the same: free, public access to datasets which otherwise are either unavailable elsewhere, or are troublesome to obtain or compile.

The manner of presentation, the range of subjects dealt with, and the ability to read and search the datasets direct from this website are improvements which are currently being worked on. Suggestions for improvements are welcomed. This is a public service and you, the public, are encouraged to tell us what you actually want. The links below will bring you to the homepages of the database projects. In each case these are quite definitely works-in-progress and the presentation is somewhat raw. If the content is useful, though, do revisit as updates are being made almost daily.

DOWNLOAD OR SEARCH THE DATABASES

• Hillfort Features Database: The hillforts project is intended to result in a database which holds a range of almost fifty different features which may (or may not) be found to be significant in better understanding the form and purpose of Irish hillforts, and their place in the landscape of Ireland's bronze age and iron age societies...More
  
  
• Exavated Ringfort Database: The ringforts database project has two phases. Phase one, some data from which is presented on the homepage, details the name, location, excavator, date of excavation, and the journal in which results were published, for all excavated Irish ringforts... The second phase is more extensive, being a searchable database of key features of all Irish ringforts - both raths and cashels - currently recognised in the Sites and Monuments Record...More

OTHER ONLINE SERVICES

IRQUAS aim to provide other online services in accordance with our free-access policies. These are constantly being expanded, and the content of each updated regularly. Use the links below to access the homepages for each service.

Online Documents: Access our rapidly growing collection of online articles, papers and short essays on a wide variety of topics

HIPNO Project: Find out about this ground-breaking digital mapping initiative, what it can offer, and how to get involved

Page last updated 04 October 2001